With the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) sending out a warning over Republic Day celebrations in the state, the Assam government has announced ‘Z-Plus’ category security cover for Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. Security has also been tightened across the state while night trains have been cancelled.While calling for a boycott of celebrations, ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Barua, in a press release on Sunday, asked people not to board public vehicles including trains from January 25 midnight. ‘‘ULFA will not be responsible for harm done to innocent people either coming to attend India’s Republic Day function or travelling by government vehicles in the period,’’ he said. The government is taking the threat ‘‘very seriously’’; Gogoi’s public engagements have been scrapped for a week. A powerful explosion triggered by ULFA on August 15 last year killed 16 people, including 13 children, at Dhemaji in upper Assam.Opposition Asom Gana Parishad too has asked people to keep away from Republic Day functions ‘‘because the government has failed to ensure security even on a solemn occasion like Republic Day.’’Gogoi described the AGP call as ‘‘similar to that of ULFA’s’’ and said it proved that the regional party had links or was sympathetic towards the militant group.The AGP, in reply, challenged the CM to institute a high-level probe to prove the allegation. The party also said it was Bharat Chandra Narah, senior minister in the Gogoi Cabinet, who had links with the ULFA. ‘‘The confessional statement of an ULFA cadre arrested in connection with the August 15 Dhemaji blast had clearly mentioned Narah’s links with the ULFA,’’ Saikia said. The AGP on Monday sent copies of the alleged confessional to the President and PM.
